The Matt Simms experiment, era, whatever you want to call it, needs to end. Of the eight teams in the AAF, only the Legends seem to lack any sense of an offensive identity. Forget the 326-yard effort Simms put forth against the Birmingham Iron. Through just three games of the season, Simms has six interceptions. How can a team have its best chance to win when the quarterback is turning the ball over at an alarming rate? Former University of Georgia standout quarterback Aaron Murray must start for the Atlanta Legends. It is clear Simms is not the guy to lead the team.
The Legends Need to Move on from Simms
The Offense is non-existent
Often times in professional sports, people put emphasis on statistics. But statistics never tell the full story. To put things in perspective, let’s look at Matt Simms. Through three weeks, Simms has the third most passing yards in the league, ahead of quarterbacks John Wolford and Luis Perez. But look deeper. Simms leads the league in interceptions with six. The Atlanta Legends only have TWO touchdowns this season. What more does the coaching staff and management need to see?
Do NOT throw the ? near @MoeFish5. Get to @fox5sandiego for the second half! #AllHandsOnDeck pic.twitter.com/WmVABqQIcP
— San Diego Fleet (@AAFFleet) February 18, 2019
.@aafapollos LB @T_Garvin28 had 2 picks during #ATLvsORL, including one that went to the house! pic.twitter.com/0vRCP4ZJM7
— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 11, 2019
And adding insult to injury is the current fan response to Simms. At one point during the loss to the Birmingham Iron, fans were chanting Aaron Murray’s name. For a new team that has struggled to move the ball consistently, the fact Simms remained in the game long after the final score was decided was alarming. There may be a deeper conflict within that is brewing in the locker room.
Some people like to play with their food before they eat it ?♂️#BHMvsATL #ForgeOn⚒️? pic.twitter.com/WT5508rm7y
— Birmingham Iron (@aafiron) February 24, 2019
What Murray Brings to the Table
To a Georgia or Georgia Tech fan, the name Aaron Murray is a familiar name. The four-time University of Georgia quarterback put together a brilliant college career, Murray threw for 121 touchdowns and over 13,000 yards. Not to mention Murray accomplished this all while playing in one of the toughest conferences in college football. One of the more memorable moments of Murray’s career was the 2013 SEC championship game, where the Bulldogs fell five yards short of upsetting Alabama in the waning seconds of the game.
Murray was drafted following the 2013 season to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he enjoyed a brief stint. Thereafter, Murray joined the Los Angeles Rams during the off-season of the 2017 season but was cut before the season began. Murray never played a down in the NFL.
But now, Murray has the opportunity to shine. In brief action against the Apollos week one, Murray went four of seven for 38 yards and an interception. But how much worse can Murray be than Simms? Murray has shown in college he can lead a successful team. The Legends are in desperate need of a change. Murray has the ability to extend plays with his legs and throw on the run. With a bad offensive line the Legends are sporting, Murray will need plenty of improvisation. The Legends defense can only hold opponents for so long before points start piling on.
The Legends will be back in action next Sunday as they head to Arizona to take on the Hotshots. The Hotshots defense proved vulnerable this weekend against the Stallions. If there were ever a time to make a quarterback change in their schedule, this upcoming week would be best to do so.
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